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How To Avoid Safe Supplier Scams

1. Don't Buy A Safe With Unaccredited Certification Or No Certification

Unaccredited Certification for safes, fire cabinets or vaults is still a widespread problem in Ireland. There are a wide range of "certificates" or "approvals" available from official sounding bodies but there are only a handful of bodies who have the required European accreditation to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 for certifying safes in Europe. Currently the European accredited certifiers are ECB-S, VdS, CNPP & SBSC.

Two prominent examples of badges mistaken for accredited certification in Ireland are:

Certified By LPCB (UK) - This U.K. body which is part of the BRE is not accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 to certify safes. This badge is therefore of no relevance to insurance rates for safes in the Republic of Ireland. Some insurance brokers may not realise that LPCB is unaccredited to this standard as a certifier for safes even in the U.K. but the final responsibility for ensuring the safe is what it claims to be lies with the client and the safe supplier.

A.I.S. Approved - A U.K. organisation who do not claim to be a certification body. The A.I.S. produce a list of approved safes and distribute A.I.S. stickers to the industry in the U.K. however the opinion of the A.I.S. is of no relevance to insurance rates for safes in the Republic of Ireland and should not be relied upon even as a guide to safe identity.

2. Don't Buy A Safe From A Seller Who Quotes Fake Insurance Rates

Irish Safes Ratings Group (ISRG) Rates Are The Only Genuine Insurance Guide Rates For Safes In Ireland. Having been sourced directly from the Republic of Ireland's insurance industry the I.S.R.G. rates are the official rates for certified safes and vaults recognised by An Garda Síochána and The European Security Systems Association. A supplier who displays higher rates or does not stipulate that an alarm may be a condition of cover is misleading clients. For further information on this please visit: www.isrg.ie

The “Secure Cabinet” standard EN11450 was introduced in
Europe in 2005 and was intended as a standard for light secure cabinets used in a
domestic setting. This standard was only developed to assure a user of these
units that the locking mechanism and construction were consistent with the most
basic needs of secure storage.
The EN14450 Secure Cabinet standard makes it clear
that S1 & S2 units are not certified safes yet these units
are often marketed by unscrupulous dealers as "safes" and are assigned unsubstantiated cash covers.
S1 &S2 Secure Cabinets have no
insurance rating in the Republic of Ireland

4. Don't Buy An Underfloor Safe If You Expect Insurance Cover

No underfloor safe has passed European testing and it is unlikely any safe ever will. The main protection against attack for the underfloor safe is the concrete around it. As this is down to the fitting there is no way to gauge it's effectiveness. It is also unlikely this would be greater than a mid level safe at best.

5. Don't Buy An Overnight Safe Fitted With A Pneumatic Tube System

Uncertified deposit facilities, letter slots, drum deposits or capsule deposits are all signs of an uncertified safe. A properly certified deposit safe should display a certification badge to standard EN1143-2.
In the case of the pneumatic tube or capsule deposit, because a hole has been cut into the safe (usually around 65mm) the safe certification couldn’t possibly be still valid as the safe's barrier material has been extensively breached. A 65mm hole is large enough to easily remove capsules without attacking the actual safe.

6. Don't Buy From Anyone You Who's Expertise Can't Be Verified

Fraud is still quite common in the safe business. You'd be surprised how many prominent safe sellers hide their identity and location with good reason. If you can't find the director's name and find that background and contact information on the business is limited or vague, this should be a red flag. A lack of transparency in qualifications, product certification, location or identity should be a good indication of a problem. Either of knowledge or professionalism. A professional safe supplier will always be able to provide documentation to back up claims.

7. Don't Buy A Safe Without Having It Correctly Installed & Anchored

If a safe hasn’t been anchored and fitted correctly the safe’s resistance to attack is compromised. Incorrect fitting can also negatively impact a safe’s fire protection. There is of course also the fact that an unbolted safe can often quite easily be removed from its location and attacked at a criminal’s leisure. For all of these reasons and more a unbolted safe is not covered by insurance.

8. Don't Buy From Anyone Who Uses Misleading Terms

The term Bankers grade or Euro grade by themselves mean nothing. Recommended cash cover is only relevant if its a recommendation from the Irish Safes Rating Group otherwise its anybody's guess who's doing the "recommending". A grade is only relevant if it's awarded by an accredited European test house. Experience is only relevant if its experience doing the right thing. Terms like these used without reference to actual European standards or documented evidence are usually used to elicit confidence and should be another red flag.

9. Don't Buy A Safe That Uses Keys Or A Mechanical Safe Locking System

Mechanical Safe Locks Are Dangerous (Think About It) - If it is possible to access a mechanical safe or vault lock by non invasive manipulation and in doing so leave no trace of entry then how can this lock type by definition be called secure?

10.Don't Buy Secondhand Without Proof Of Certification.

Don't Buy Second Hand Without Proof Of Certification - Never accept a second hand safe without its certification badge or certificate.

Qualified Advice

Current Fraud Warnings

About Certifed Safes Ireland™

Certified Safes Ireland™ is a trading name of Certified Safes International Ltd™ one of the most professional and respected safe suppliers and installers in Europe.

Certified Safes International Ltd™ is a longstanding member of The European Security Systems Association and part of the ICS Group.